Railway car



T. ELLIOTT RAILWAY CAR Filed Feb. v8 19?..'5 4 Sheets-Sheet l *im vwiA/*M A A l' /nve-nw l; 1 'c @M7 www QM,

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Filed Feb. 8, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Llwgw -T. ELLIOTT RAILWAY CAR 8.1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Imm/Hoz atto'zneug/ Filed Feb.

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"IIIlrf IIIIDTT, F CINCHINATI, OHIO,

ASSIGNOR T0' THE CINCINNATI b1 PANT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATIUNOIF 00.

il it LAY UAR.

application mea rebmary a, 1926. serial 1ro. 617,662.

cinnati, in the county of IIamilton and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Railway Cars,

of which the following is a specification,

reference being 'had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to railway cars, moreparticularly the kind usedon vinterurban and steam railways.

'Ihe special feature to which my invention is directed is the provisionof a structure in the nature of a vestibule which comprises an enclosureinde endent of the' structure of the cars and whic is adaptedto bemounted on the latforms of adjacent cars to form a safe ousing throughwhich passengers may pass in going from one car to the other., `i il:vestibule structure also aords protection to the passengers in the caseof. derailment or accident at the time they are passing from oneplatform to the other because it is in the nature of Aa separate unitwhich forms a complete closure around the passengers, save only for'itsdoorways.

Another feature of my invention is that of combining such a vestibuleunit with its passengerl enclosing features with two articulatedrailway-cars whose adjacent ends are mounted upon the same truck, sothat I produce` a novel and highly useful combination of a vestibuleenclosing unit, articulated cars and a common truck for both cars.`

A further feature is the provision of connections between my vestibuleunit and the bolster of the truck, so tliat as the bolster changesposition on curves in the tracks the vesti u le will alsocorrespordinglychange lposition to keep itself in substantially the same relation withthe car latform's, and which vthemselves likewise c ange position underthese conditions. In this way I have perfect Hexibility or relativemovability between ;the vestibule unit and the cars and this movabilityis controlled by the movements of the truck bolster.,

'Ihese several objects .are carried into ractical eHect 'by thestructure illustrated in theaccom anyin drawings which represent the preerred,

orm ofv embodiment of my invention.,

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of two railway cars, theirtruck and my vestibule unit.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same with parts of the car structure andof the vestibule in horizontal position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1, showing the vestibule unit on the car platforms, and thespring pressed guards.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a part of the carroof structure, showing a spring pressed weather strip and the top ofthe vestibule unit.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view` on an enlarged scale of the upperpart of the vestibule unit showing most particularly its top or roofconstruction.-

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical seetional view of a portion of thetwo adjacent cars, the central bearings therefor, and the truck bolster.I

Figure 7 is also a vertical sectional view,

in a transverse direction, showing the cen-- tral bearing for one car,the bolster and the interlocking rods between the vestibule unit and thebolster.

Viewing Figures 1 and 2, the numerals 1 I and 2 generally designate tworailway cars whose adjacent ends are supported by a sin-4 gle truckcommon to both cars at this point. There is nothing peculiar about thecar structure or the truck, in so far as concerns my present invention,further than to sa that the two cars are articulated throng theirpivotal su port 'and connection with the bolster of he one truck. Theplatforms of the cars indicated 3 and 4 in Figure 2, with their endhousings 5 and 6 apprpach one another near the central line but thencediverge one from the other to permit of the swinging of the cars in thediderent relative positions in going around the 'Ihe support of both thecars by aV single truck is best illustrated in detail in Figure .6 whereit will be seen that the under beam 7 with its transverse angle bar 8 ofthe car 1 and the under beam 9 with its transverse angle bar 10 of thecar 2 areequipped 1 with stout, hollow studs 11 and 12 respecthespherical sockets inthe bear u: plate 1t wood doors terminate well backfrom these beams.

The details of the structure so far described do not enter into myinvention, but, broadly speakin articulated cars, that is to say, twocars w ose adjacent ends are support/ed upon a single truck in a pivotalmanner, do enter into the combination which Aforms one part of thisinvention, to wit, the combination of two articulated cars withavestibule unit which forms an enclosing structure within whichpassengers may stand and through which they may pass from car to car.

Referring now to this vestibule unit, it is to be observed that itcomprises, generally, a shell formed of walls which constitute anenclosure in the nature of a small room. 'l he preferred form of-thisvestibule unit is cylindrical as seen by the wall 18 in Figures 2 and 3,while at the bottom is a floor 19 and at the top a roof 20. Sheet steelis the preferred vmaterial thou h the vestibule unit ma be constructed osome other material an of some other shape or outline than cylindrical.

The Hoor 19 rests upon the wood floor 17 of the twoadjacent carplatforms and overlaps'the two platforms so as to bridge the gap betweenthem. 'Ihere is no positive connection between the vestibule and theplatforms. It may be said. to float or merely rest upon the platforms.

The vestibule, is however, connected to the bolster 15 asbest seen inFigure 7. The preferred means of .eecting this connection consists of.rods 21 which are mounted in clips or bearings 22 in the vestible andeX- tend down past the ends of the car platforms and enter sockets 23 inthe bolster of the truck. The' rods have portions 24 which form handlestb enable the rods to be manipulated or lifted when it is desired todisconnect the vestibule from the bolster.

It willnow be understood that as the truck turns from side to side infollowing the direction of the curvatures of the tracks, the vestibulewill be likewise turned, and in doing so will oscillate back and forthon the car platforms, though will not otherwise change its relative,position to the cars.

The vestibule has doorways indicated at 25 and 26 at the sides of whichwood posts 27 are erected about which the metal walls are bent andsecured as seen at 28 particularly in Figure 3. The position of theposts and therefore of the sides of the doorways is such that (when thecars swing to their extreme positions as in going around a curve havingsay a radius of 35 feet (about the minimum radius) the housings 5 and 6at the ends of the cars will not pass the door openings, but even undersuch extreme positions as here assumed, the position nearer to theopenings is indicated by thedotted line aa in Figure 3.

In order to make a close fit, yet a yielding one, to allow the rockingmotions of the cars, I form a pocket 29 in each structure 5 and 6 andmount therein ards 30 in the form of strips of wood w ich are urgedagainst the cylindrical wall of the vestibule i by springs such as 31.guards hug the vestibule but permit of the necessary flexibility in therelation of the vestibule to the cars.

In order to maintain a weathertight fit between the top of the vestibuleand the/ car roofs, over the platforms, I connect to the roofs a pocketstructure 32 which is best seen in Figure 4, in which I mount a weatherstrip 33 urged by a suitable spring 34 against a rubbing board 35mounted on the roof or top 2O of the vestibule. A rubber or otherflexible packing 36 is connected to the weather strip and adapted to liefirmly on the rubbing board to more effectively kee out snow, and rain.The weather strip an the packing rub against the board 35 as the carsmove along, but the weatherproof joint is retained. Each car platformroof is so equipped at the point over the vestibule as shown by thedotted lines b in Figure 3.

In .order to 'construct a gutter to receive rain and melted snow, therubbing board 35 is bevelled at its edges 35L as seen in Figure 5, toleave a gutter 37 between it and the adjacent part ofthe side wall. Adrain pipe 38 extends down inside the vestibule and empties below it todischarge the water.

It is, of course, to be understood that the numerous details I havedescribed may be modified to suit different installations of myvestibule unit without departing in any way from my invention.

By now referring back to the introductory statement of the objects andpurposes of my invention, its value and utility will be appreciated. Itforms, through the office of the vestibule unit, a safe, protectingenclosure through which passengers may pass from one car or car platformto another and which protects them while within the vestibule, becauseit surrounds them and divides them off from the nearby portions of thecar structure.

Again, this vestibule unit maintains a {irm In this way the ateatro butyielding contact with the platform struc# I tures, while it alsoexcludes rain and wind and very largely excludes dust.

Again the connection of the vestibule unit with the truck bolster notonly maintains the proper position of the vestibule with respect to thecar platforms, which themselves are pivoted to the bolster, but alsoforms a sort of anchor for the vestibulewhich prevents it from workingaway from its mounted position, for while it swings back and forth 4withthe swinging movement of the bolster, yet it always maintains the samegeneral p0- sition. Y p

l regard myself to be the first to invent a vestibule unit comprising anenclosing structure and combined with adjacent car platforms.

l also regard'myself as the first to produce a vestibule unit forming anenclosing structure combined with the platform of articulated cars.

lf further regard myself as the rst to provide a vestibule unitcomprising an enclosing structure combined with and connected to arailway truck. c

The utility of this invention has been demonstrated by its `manufacturerand introduced into practical use upon various railway lines.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with two adjacent carsand a supporting truck common to both cars and to which they arearticulated, of a vestibule unit comprising a separate closure adaptedto ride on the ad]a cent4 platforms of such cars and supported on saidtruck through the intermediary of said platforms, and having door waysthrough opposite portions of the side walls.

2. rllhe combination with two adjacent cars each' having a projectingplatform and a truck common to both cars and to which each platform isarticulated, of a vestibule overlapping such platforms,

supported,- thereby and positioned above the point ofA positioned topartly rest on each platform and devices which connect the vestibulewith the bolster for the purpose stated. i

5. The combination with two articulated cars mounted on a truckcommon'to both, each car having yieldingly mounted guards, of avestibule unit comprising an enclosure positioned to partly rest on eachplatform and tomake contact with said guards andl means for connectingthe vestibule with the bolster 'of said truck.

6. The combination with two articulated cars mounted on a truck commonto both, each car having yielding guards, of a vestibule unit comprisingan enclosing structure of cylindrical form adapted to contact with saidguards and also adapted to overlap the adjacent platforms of said cars.

7. The combination with two articulated cars mounted on a truck commonto both, the adjacent platforms of each car having pockets and verticalguards slidingly mounted therein and each having other pockets withhorizontal weather strips slidingly mounted therein and extending`transversely, of a vestibule unit comprising an enclosing structure ofcylindrical form, the side walls of the vestibule being adapted tocontact with the guards and the topI of the vestibule to contact withthe weather strip.

8. The combination with a car platform roof having a structure providedwith a recess and a horizontal weather strip slidingly mounted thereinand urged outward by springs, of a vestibule unit comprising a separatestructure adapted to be placed on the car platform and having a topadapted tto be contacted by said weather strip.

9. The combination with a truck bolster, of a vestibule unit comprisingan encloslng structure and means for connecting the bolster with saidvestibule to 'cause the latter to move in substantial unison with thebolster when dedected by thev course of the tracks.

10. The combination with a truck bolster, of a vestibule'unit\mountedabove the bolster and means for detachably connecting the bolster andthe vestibule, such means being adapted to cause the vestibule to movein substantial unison with the bolster when the bolster moves about itscenter.

.11. The combination with a truck bolster, of a vestibuleunitlcomprising an enclosing structurey of cylindrical outline, and adjustfable rods-operable in the vestibule causing them to connect 'anddisconnect the vestibule with the bolster.

